Goldbridge: Liverpool just made a huge statement in the transfer market | OneFootball

Wirtz Transfer Smashes Record as Liverpool Make Statement Move

Liverpool’s summer business is already causing a stir, and none more so than their headline-grabbing acquisition of Florian Wirtz. Speaking on That’s Football, Mark Goldbridge dissected the move with characteristic intensity, calling it a “British transfer record 150 million euros package” and a “statement signing by Liverpool.”

This seismic shift in the transfer market is not only significant for the club but sends a broader message to rivals both domestically and in Europe.

Record Fee, Record Ambition

“This package is €150 million,” Goldbridge emphasised, pointing out the magnitude of the deal. He reminded viewers that the previous record was “€135 million euros when Coutinho left Liverpool to go to Barcelona.” By comparison, Enzo Fernandez’s move to Chelsea cost €121 million euros, while Jack Grealish moved for €117 million euros. “Liverpool have broken that record,” he stated bluntly, a fact that cements Wirtz’s arrival as one of the most expensive and anticipated in British football history.

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Wirtz is just 22, yet Goldbridge defended the price, challenging critics with, “It’s not like they’ve just gone and bought, I don’t know, Bissouma from Spurs or James Maddison… they’re buying Wirtz who everybody talks about… he’s the number 10 to go and get.”

Beyond Wirtz: A Summer of Intent

The Wirtz transfer doesn’t exist in a vacuum. Liverpool are clearly operating from a position of strength. “Frimpong, Wirtz, and Kerkez likely in the next few days as well,” Goldbridge noted. He went on to say Liverpool had “probably spent over €200 million already,” predicting the figure could “go north of €300 million.”

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Despite these high numbers, he was quick to clarify the financial stability behind it: “They’ll be comfortable with FFP and what they’ve got in the bank.”

This spree follows years of strategic restraint. “Got no money last year… but Liverpool’s transfer budget each summer would be a considerable amount of money. And when you don’t spend it, it’s there.”

Arne Slot’s Liverpool Poised for Domination

While Jurgen Klopp’s era has ended, the ambition clearly hasn’t. Goldbridge, though a Manchester United fan, conceded, “I think it’s a great acquisition for the Premier League… it’s annoying that it’s a Liverpool thing, but this is That’s Football.”

He went further, arguing that Wirtz “is at a club and a place in his career where he can deal with that” pressure. Goldbridge suggested Wirtz may feature as “an attacking midfielder, stroke attacker, maybe false nine… in a Liverpool shirt, you’re not going to be running out of things to do.”

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He also didn’t hide his envy: “I said before the transfer window started, does this make Liverpool… who’s the favourite? Winning the Premier League the way they did comfortably and then adding the players that they are. I’d say at the moment, they… well, they are favourites.”

Reaction from the Football World

The impact of Wirtz’s arrival could ripple throughout the market. Goldbridge cited journalist David Ornstein, who reported that “Al Hilal could now move for Nunez,” suggesting Liverpool could recoup up to €50 million from outgoing deals.

There was also a dig at Manchester United’s lack of strategy: “What you don’t want to do as an attacker is go and play for a team where they don’t attack much… you don’t want to be going to Man United, basically.”

This sentiment highlights the contrast between clubs with clear plans and others floundering in the market.

Final Word

Despite being a rival fan, Goldbridge admitted the significance of the move: “In a general footballing sense, I think this is exciting.” He closed with a message to Liverpool fans: “They’re going to spend money on good players, and they’re going to make money on people as well.”

Photo: IMAGO

The Wirtz transfer is more than a record-breaking fee; it’s a signal of intent from Liverpool. With Arne Slot now at the helm, the Reds are clearly aiming for dominance on all fronts.